As anyone who has ever tried to set up a printer can attest, getting things going is no easy task. Printers are notoriously tricky to work with, and there’s nothing more complicated than trying to connect to the Internet. We’ve all been there – trying to connect to the WiFi and just getting no results. So you might be wondering – how do I connect my Canon printer to the Internet?
In order to connect a Canon printer that just won’t cooperate with the WiFi, there are a few things you can try. First things first, update all of the software involved. Try rebooting the devices, or remove the printer as a device on your laptop or computer. Finally, you could try fixing up the router or connecting to the computer with a USB cable instead.
So, how exactly do all of these methods work? To find out, you can read through the rest of the article below to find out. We’ve gone through a detailed explanation for each method so you can make this difficult task more straightforward than ever.
How Do I Connect My Canon Printer To The Internet?
Printers still remain a complicated piece of technology. This complex design makes it so that working with a computer can be a little frustrating, to say the least. However, when you have a Canon printer, and it’s not working, more often than not, the issue at hand is that of a connection to the Internet.
Commonly, the errors will be either that the printer will not connect to the Internet or just simply not show up. Even when you get the connection to work, it may not be properly connected at all, meaning that you still can’t get anything printed. And these issues are so common that you need a troubleshooting guide to fix this error.
Update Your Software
One of the best ways to get started when troubleshooting any devices’ issues is to update the software and firmware. Because Canon routinely provides updates to counter these, you can usually get your WiFi connection going in no time. This simple fix is one of the easiest ways to resolve connection problems caused by software bugs.
You can update the printer software routinely from the website, or you can also make sure your computer is updated as well. After all, the printer is not the only software that the manufacturer regularly updates. Keeping tabs on the recent firmware updates helps to prevent a problem before it starts occurring.
Reboot or Unplug to Start Fresh
Although it has become a joke in popular culture, the fact remains that often, switching your device off, then switching it on again, can work. This fix happens because you may be facing this issue due to a glitch in the software. Switching the Canon printer off, then starting again, helps to reboot the processes and lets the machine begin anew.
Simply press down on the Power Button to turn off the machine. You can also try doing this and then plugging off the printer. While this can sometimes resolve issues like overloading and minor glitches, it is usually not a permanent fix for your problem.
As mentioned above, connecting to the Internet can sometimes cause glitches. Simply turn off the router, wait some time, and then try connecting to it again. Alternatively, you can also try restarting your router to disconnect the Internet access temporarily.
Monitor Router Range
In general, printers don’t have the range (in terms of distance) that other devices tend to have. Because of weaker signals, it may just be an issue of where precisely your printer is placed. As a general rule of thumb, you should keep your Canon printer closer to the WiFi router in your home. In many cases, keeping the printer in the same room can do the trick.
Related: How to Make Canon Printer Print Without Color Cartridge
Remove Device From Your PC
If you keep seeing that the Canon printer is connected but is still not functioning right, there is another way to handle this situation. Simply remove the printer as a device from your PC and then connect it again. Here’s how to do this:
- On your computer, click the ‘Start’ button on the left-most side of the taskbar.
- Click on the ‘Settings’ button.
- Click on the ‘Devices’ tab in the new window.
- Select ‘Printers & Scanners.’
- Here, you will see a list of devices under ‘Printers & Scanners.’
- Select the name of your Canon printer and click ‘Remove device.’
The printer device has now been removed. Now, you can click on the option at the top, ‘Add a printer or scanner,’ to add your Canon printer again. In most cases, this should resolve connection issues.
Connect With A USB
One way to combat the issue of unstable signals from your router is to cut out the middleman. Instead of having to keep the printer close to or in the same room as your router, there is an alternative. Skip the trouble and just connect your printer to the router using a cable. This move makes sure there is always a stable connection available for your Canon printer.
A very basic ethernet cable is the perfect solution to all of your issues. Since most printers come with an ethernet cable adapted jack, you can easily make this happen/
Use Printer Sharing
In some cases, you may not be able to connect directly to the router. Alternatively, the Internet connection may simply not be stable enough to achieve your desired results. If this is the predicament you are in, there is still one more thing for you to try – printer sharing.
You can connect to the Internet via your computer and share a printer through the Windows operating system using printer sharing. To switch this on for a supported Canon printer, follow these steps:
- Open up settings, and navigate to the Devices window.
- From here, click on ‘Printers & Scanners.’
- Select the name of the supported printer.
- Click the ‘Manage’ button.
- From here, select the option ‘Printer properties.’
- Move to the tab labeled ‘Sharing’ and select the option to share.
Conclusion
It is no easy task to connect a WiFi network to a printer. However, some troubleshooting tips can make life a lot easier with Canon printers. For example, you can keep software up-to-date, restart the devices, or attempt an ethernet connection.